Voice of America 4/17/97
U-S / IRAN
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS
HOPING LAST WEEK'S GERMAN COURT RULING
IMPLICATING SENIOR IRANIAN LEADERS IN THE
MURDER OF FOUR IRANIAN KURDISH DISSIDENTS
MAY INSPIRE EUROPEAN ALLIES TO DO MORE TO
ISOLATE THE TEHRAN GOVERNMENT. WASHINGTON
CONSIDERS IRAN ONE OF THE WORLD'S CHIEF
SPONSORS OF TERRORISM AND A SIGNIFICANT
THREAT TO SECURITY AROUND THE WORLD.
V-O-A'S NICK SIMEONE ATTENDED A SENATE
HEARING THURSDAY CALLED TO CONSIDER
WHETHER WASHINGTON AND ITS ALLIES ARE
DOING ENOUGH TO ISOLATE IRAN.
TEXT: BOTH CONGRESS AND THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION AGREE THAT POLICIES BY
THE UNITED STATES TO ISOLATE IRAN, AND
EUROPE'S EFFORTS TO ENGAGE IT, HAVE DONE
NOTHING TO MODERATE IRAN'S SUPPORT FOR
TERRORISM.
HERE'S HOW JOHN WELCH, THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF U-S POLICY
TOWARD THE MIDDLE EAST, SUMMED UP IRAN'S
FOREIGN POLICY AND U-S CONCERN ABOUT IT
BEFORE THURSDAY'S SENATE PANEL:
// WELCH ACT //
WE'RE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED BY IRAN'S
CONTINUED PURSUIT OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES,
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
COMPONENTS AND PRODUCTION MATERIALS AND
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY. IRAN'S ACQUISITION OF
EVER-MORE SOPHISTICATED MISSILE TECHNOLOGY
FROM NORTH KOREA AND CHINA PRESENTS AN
INCREASING THREAT TO OUR FRIENDS AND
OUR MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE (PERSIAN) GULF.
// END ACT //
RIGHT NOW, HE SAYS THE UNITED STATES,
THROUGH LEGISLATION AND EXECUTIVE ORDER,
HAS GONE AS FAR AS IT POSSIBLY CAN BY ITSELF
TO TRY TO KEEP WEAPONS-RELATED TECHNOLOGY
FROM GETTING INTO THE HANDS OF ROGUE NATIONS
SUCH AS IRAN AND LIBYA. WITH LAST WEEK'S
GERMAN COURT RULING AND THE DECISION BY
E-U NATIONS TO WITHDRAW THEIR AMBASSADORS
FROM TEHERAN, THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES
THERE MIGHT NOW BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
MORE COORDINATED ACTION.
// SECOND WELCH ACT //
WE BELIEVE THAT THEIR (EUROPE'S) STEPS SO FAR
HAVE BEEN GOOD ONES. WE'D LIKE TO DO MORE.
WE WILL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM
(EUROPEAN NATIONS); IN FACT, SENATOR, THEY'VE
BEEN UNDERWAY BOTH BEFORE AND IN THE
IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE VERDICT.
// END ACT //
CHINA AND RUSSIA REMAIN TWO COUNTRIES
OF CONCERN REGARDING THE SUPPLY OF
WEAPONS AND NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY TO
IRAN DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO CURB IT. DEPUTY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE ROBERT EINHORN:
// EINHORN ACT //
WE CONTINUE TO URGE RUSSIA TO FOREGO ALL NUCLEAR
COOPERATION WITH IRAN. WE URGE THE SAME OF CHINA.
// END ACT //
BUT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT END THERE. PRIVATE
INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BE ATTRACTED TO IRANIAN
OIL. NEW YORK SENATOR ALFONSE D'AMATO
LED THE DRIVE TO GET PRESIDENT CLINTON TO
PROHIBIT U-S COMPANIES FROM SIGNING AGREEMENTS
WITH IRAN. BUT HE CHARGES THIS HAS NOT
STOPPED IRAN OR LIBYA FROM OBTAINING THE
HARD CURRENCY NEEDED TO FUND TERRORISM
AROUND THE WORLD.
// D'AMATO ACT //
(THERE ARE) MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS, IN
(ROGUE) COUNTRIES WHERE THE VARIOUS
CORPORATIONS OPERATE, IN PARTICULAR THEIR
OWN NATIONAL COMPANIES, THEY SEEM TO
FORGET THE LESSONS OF THE PAST AND SO
THEY DEAL WITH THESE PETTY TYRANTS AND
DICTATORS AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO EXPORT
REVOLUTION.
// END ACT //
RECENT REPORTS HAVE SUGGESTED POSSIBLE
IRANIAN INVOLVEMENT IN LAST YEAR'S TERRORIST
BOMBING IN SAUDI ARABIA OF A FACILITY
HOUSING U-S MILITARY PERSONNEL. BUT
ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE WELCH
SAYS NO CONCLUSIONS HAVE BEEN REACHED.
BUT IF IRAN IS FOUND TO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE,
APPROPRIATE ACTION, AS HE PUT IT, WILL BE
TAKEN. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/RRM
17-Apr-97 5:24 PM EDT (2124 UTC)
NNNN
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